Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-05-18
DAILY HERALD.
CITY SEWERAGE.
Col. Warnings Report on
the System.
SURVEYOR EAT0N'S PLANS
Apr0yed with But one Excep-
tion and that unIm-
portant.

p0ftait.
As viii he seen by the following re-
mort of Col. f. Waring, he approved OF
the plans for the sewerage of this city
n devised BY the City Surveyor. Fred
Eaton, with the exception of the placing
of manholes in the streets. Surveyor
Eatcn's plans contemplate the placement
cd mauholes at various intervals in all
the sewers, no matter of what size, while
Col. Waring thinks this is unnecessary,
aud says that the facility for the inspec.
t;on OF the work by looking from one
manhole to another IL of fanciful rather
than of real value. Surveyor Eaton DIFF
fers from this position and agrees with
other authorities in sewerage equally
ma well yersed in the matter
. as Col. Waring. Mr.. Eaton thinks
that manholes are necessity, because
with their use single glance will dis.
-c,oss whether or not there is an obstruc-
ton in process of formation while with
Col. Warnings plan of inspecting by the
use of rods or wires will not reveal the
obstruction until the pipes are choked
up entirely. By means Of manholes the
inspection can be made in much less
time than with wires. Time is a eonsid.
Grafton when men are employed by the
day and the construction of manholes
will save more than their cost in a very
short time. This is the only matter in
which Col Waring differs from Surveyor
Eaton. The report which will be pre-
scented to the Council is rs follows:
col WARNINGS REPORT.
To the Honorable, the City Council of Los
Angeles, Cal.
lam ia receipt of a copy Of report of the
City Surveyor on the proposed sewerage of
Los Angeles, dated May 3. 1857, aed Isub-
init herewith my views concerning the
same subject.
4 beg to say as the outset that your Sur
veyor gave me every possible opportunity
20 investigate the general features of the
situation and, SO far as data already Sc
cured made possible. TO examine its details
Ills long familiarity with the ground, and
his careful end intelligent consideration of
the conditions controlling the work were
Of great value to me, and must be OF even
greater value in perfecting the details Of
Che system.
The problem presented to you is unusu.
ally difficult. and its difficulties are greatly
dk
ton IN which the growth OF population is
to extend. Indeed Ii would seem impossi-
BILE now TO determine where to provide for
dense and where for sparse population: the
only safety would seem TO lie in arranging
for the sewerage of each section of the city
under the assumption that IL may at some
future tire be fully occupied. This. how
ever, will not add very materially to the
cost of the work, as. no matter where the
grestest population may be located, the
whole expense OF outlet works would, in
any case. be the same.
The City Surveyor formulates his advice
under the following headings:
I. The disposal of sewage ON lands neaI
the ocean.
q With possible outfalI at the ocean.
8. All sewage to be collected at the south
west corner Of the city.
4. A maximum flow at tie rate OF ont
hundred and fifty gallons per head per day
6. Provisions for apopulation of two hun
-dred thousand
any engineer iamiliar with the di posal o
sewage by irrigation as to the propriety and
advantage of that process.
have myself examined several of the
larger sewage irrigation farms of EBgland
the immense works at Berlin and the very
iargesand carefully conducted experimental
works at Paris. am familiar with other
works Of this character, by de- cription and
study. / have myself carried out irrigatien n
disposal works under very difficult condi.
tions in several instances In this country.
and even in the Eastern and Northern
States, whe land is more dificult to OBJ
tain, where the winters are severe and
where ut all seasons disposal is subject to
ssuterference by heavy storms. there eau be
60 question as TO the propriety of this
means Of purifying the efiluent of city
sewers. In a country like this, where irri.
cation is a necessary adjunct of profitable
cultivation. where land owners stand
ready to receive sewage In great volume
aud where there is so rarely an ln,erfer.
surely be found that this means of disposal
auder all ordinary conditions, is the only
ono worthy OF your attention.
After careful consideration OF the City
Surveyors sug seslions and conclusions on
the subject. although at first inclined to
favor delivery to lands near the city. have
reached the opinion that the area selected
by him Is. On the whole, that which it Is
most advisable to use The Intervening
slksli fiat would be unsuitable, partly be-
cause of its being subject to overflow; the
land between that and the city limits, as !
am informed, underlaid by waterbearing
gravel, which is likely to become an i'm.
portdnt source of water supply; aud though,
undoubtedly. sewage might be delivered
upon It without danger TO health. the senti-
mental objection TO n omoination of even
purified sewage with Its water is too strong
to be disregarded.
The lsrge body of land within reach OF
the proposed irrigation ditch beyond the
first tunnel, is subject 70 none of these diff
cost, and its use will l,unquestionably, afford
q insl solution of your disposal problem
for ell time. IL has the further advantage
that II this opinion should prove not to be
we'll founded. and II this land should at any
time prove inadequate, the course followed
IN reaching 1t Is the one best suited for 4
direct discharge TO the ocean, 1t Is not un
likely that a more careful aud extensive
survey of this proposed outlet will develot
Abetter and more economical line The
cost OF running such experimental linet
would be triding as compared with the
economy resulting from the finding of
better one; this. however. is a matter of de
tail with which your surveyor is fully com
petent to deal.
(2) Should the outlet to the ocean b,
found necessary at a future time, it will
certainly not be required except during tn,
rainy season when any possible disad van
tage resulting from the discharge OF sewage
on shore during the summer season woult
not exist
(3) The southwest corner OF the city
seems, obviously, the best point of dis
charge on the ground OF economy as well
as of convenience The sewerage of the
limited area in the southwestern portion ol
the city can be sent to that outlet by pump
ing, as sugges sted, for moderate cost, or IL
may be found objectionable to deliver ii
20 special irrigation tract OF its own. This
Is question of detail which does not affect
TO- raIu urlta